Ohio Cross Country/Track & Field Adds Jake Poyner as Assistant Coach
8/27/2026 2:00:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio cross country and women's track and field programs has added Jake Poyner to the staff as assistant cross country and distance coach, as announced by head coach Sarah Pease on Thursday, Aug. 27.
Poyner comes to Ohio after serving as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Point Loma Nazarene University from May 2024 to August 2026. While at Point Loma, he oversaw the entirety of the women's cross country and track & field program. Under Poyner's leadership, the Sea Lions achieved several program firsts including their first NCAA DII All-American in 2026. Poyner led the Point Loma women's cross country program to its best finishes since 2018 at the PacWest and NCAA DII West Region Championships. The Sea Lions also earned their best track & field team finish since 2019 at the PacWest Championships. Poyner also coaches his athletes to seven All-West Region selections in the last two years. Under Poyner, Point Loma had four new program records and 22 top 10 track & field program performances.
Prior to Point Loma, Poyner served as the head cross country and assistant track & field coach at Louisiana-Monroe. At Louisiana-Monroe, he guided the men's team to the best cross country in Sun Belt Conference history while also coaching the 2023 SBC Men's Freshman & LWSA Newcomer of the Year. Poyner also coached the men's distance medley relay to the SBC indoor title, helping the Warhawks score their most points at an indoor championship in 15 years.
Poyner also spent several years as the head cross country and assistant track & field coach at Grace College. At Grace, he coached a total of 62 NAIA All-American performances, including the men's and women's 4x800 meter relay NAIA indoor national champions in 2023. He led both Lancer cross country teams to consecutive NAIA National Championship appearances and NCCAA national titles in 2021 and 2022, with both teams finishing in the top-10 at the NAIA Championships in his final season.
As a student-athlete, Poyner ran collegiately at both Wake Forest and Lipscomb, earning Atlantic Sun Conference Runner of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors in 2017. While at Lipscomb, the First Team Academic All-American also won the individual ASUN cross country title and led his teams to two ASUN cross country championships.
Poyner graduated with his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Lipscomb in 2018.
#OUohyeah
Poyner comes to Ohio after serving as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Point Loma Nazarene University from May 2024 to August 2026. While at Point Loma, he oversaw the entirety of the women's cross country and track & field program. Under Poyner's leadership, the Sea Lions achieved several program firsts including their first NCAA DII All-American in 2026. Poyner led the Point Loma women's cross country program to its best finishes since 2018 at the PacWest and NCAA DII West Region Championships. The Sea Lions also earned their best track & field team finish since 2019 at the PacWest Championships. Poyner also coaches his athletes to seven All-West Region selections in the last two years. Under Poyner, Point Loma had four new program records and 22 top 10 track & field program performances.
Prior to Point Loma, Poyner served as the head cross country and assistant track & field coach at Louisiana-Monroe. At Louisiana-Monroe, he guided the men's team to the best cross country in Sun Belt Conference history while also coaching the 2023 SBC Men's Freshman & LWSA Newcomer of the Year. Poyner also coached the men's distance medley relay to the SBC indoor title, helping the Warhawks score their most points at an indoor championship in 15 years.
Poyner also spent several years as the head cross country and assistant track & field coach at Grace College. At Grace, he coached a total of 62 NAIA All-American performances, including the men's and women's 4x800 meter relay NAIA indoor national champions in 2023. He led both Lancer cross country teams to consecutive NAIA National Championship appearances and NCCAA national titles in 2021 and 2022, with both teams finishing in the top-10 at the NAIA Championships in his final season.
As a student-athlete, Poyner ran collegiately at both Wake Forest and Lipscomb, earning Atlantic Sun Conference Runner of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors in 2017. While at Lipscomb, the First Team Academic All-American also won the individual ASUN cross country title and led his teams to two ASUN cross country championships.
Poyner graduated with his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Lipscomb in 2018.
#OUohyeah
Tuesday, August 29
Tuesday, August 28
Tuesday, August 28
Monday, September 08
